Love to Blame
by ShinigamiMailJeevas
Summary: "What did you reply?" Mello managed to force between his lips, hoping he sounded normal. As normal as one could when hearing their mortal enemy had asked their best friend out. Oneshot, slight MM. Humor, angst, drama.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own death note

**Suggested Listening** (_for each part)_: Diamond Eyes **by** Shinedown; Alpha Dog **by** Fall out boy; Fader **by** The Temper Trap; Rabbit Heart** by** Florence + The Machine; Pretty Buildings **by** People in Planes; Army of Love **by** kerli; Music is Through **by** Jamie Cullum

-Start-

"Here are your clothes as well as one bar of chocolate, five dollars in change, a wristband and your identification." the officer before him stated, having set all aforementioned items on the counter.

All he had to do was sign the damn paper, change into something other than that ugly orange jumpsuit, and get the hell out of there.

He just hoped someone was outside waiting for him.

As for how he had ended up in jail, it was a long story...

.

.

Mello sighed heavily into his glass of champagne and wished the damn party would hurry up and be over so he could go home, take a shower and curl up on the couch, alone. But from the buzzing of the people it didn't appear that would be happening anytime soon.

And it wasn't as though he could just skip off and leave either. Damn for being part of that circle of 'close' friends.

He, as well as a lot of others, were at Light and Misa's engagement party. What fun.

Not really, especially with L practically sulking in the corner and everyone wondering if it were Light or Misa he was drinking over. Mello could care less at this point. Mello _had_ told the elder to just spill his feelings to the one he was pining over, so in part the situation was his own fault.

To make matters worse, that damnable big-headed prat Near was there. That was just about good enough to ruin anyone's mood. But definitely Mello's. Even more so as the short white haired boy was walking over to him.

Mello pretended he didn't see him.

It didn't do any good as Near stood there, sparkling cider in hand as he was too young for anything else, with his piercing gaze and never once looked away. It was unnerving and more than a little annoying.

Too bad wishes didn't come true or else Near would have spontaneously combusted.

"What do you want _Nate_?" Mello spat out. He and Near did not get along at all. And whomever thought it was a good idea to invite them both to the same place at the same exact time needed their head examined.

It had probably been Misa.

"To know how Mello was enjoying the party. It is quite nice that they are both finally settling down, is it not?" Near questioned as his face was distorted through the glass flutes refection. It painted an even uglier picture than Mello was used to.

"I was having a good time until you arrived." he snipped. Mello relaxed the grip on his champagne, knowing that if he held it much tighter the glass would shatter. He suspected the glasses had been expensive, along with everything else.

Near had started speaking again but Mello's attention had surprisingly drifted. Across the room something made him smile fondly, wide enough for Near to notice and comment on it.

"He won't ever love you, he doesn't even notice you for longer than it takes to load his games. Second best means nothing to him."

Matt. Matt the redhead who was chatting up some more than tipsy looking chick. Matty his best friend, the boy who wore those ridiculous goggles and stripes and played games and loved pizza and cigarettes...

Matt his best friend who he was in love with since he had turned sixteen.

Near's comment stung and despite the hurt, the anger Mello felt towards the albino won out. "What the hell do you know? You certainly aren't in his radar either you instigating little fuck."

It was no surprise to Mello that Near wanted Matt, and no secret from their friends for that matter. But the reason for Near's attraction wasn't what they all thought. Mello knew Near didn't want the redhead for the small smirks he wore or the way he sometimes poked his tongue out on a difficult game level; Near only wanted him because Mello wanted him and because Matt was the best at what he did.

It most certainly didn't hurt that Matt was third at Wammys, a school for genii.

And if Near couldn't have second best he wanted third. Near wanted all the high ranking players at his feet so he could say he won. But either Matt didn't want him or was just really fucking oblivious; Mello was leaning towards the latter.

Near frowned at Mello, lowering the cider in an almost contemplative manor.

"I will break him the moment he is within my grasp. The Mail Jeevas you know will cease to exist and I will enjoy seeing you fall apart-"

Mello didn't care that Near was only saying it to rile him up, at least he hoped so, and flinging the champagne at the younger boy hadn't been in his plans, but then again neither had pulling back his fist and decking him.

Or kicking the insolent bastard in the ribs or any of the other things he had been able to do before he was being pulled off and held in a corner as the cops were called.

"Mello what were you thinking? Doing all that to poor Near, he's never done anything to you-"

Mello ignored Misa's blabbering, and L's disappointed looks because they knew nothing of the real Nate River. The darkness that lurked in that cold unfeeling child whose heart was a dark as the eyes that stared out at the world.

They didn't know what he was capable of in the pursuit of 'solving' his puzzles.

Mello avoided looking at Matt as the cuffs were placed on him; he already had a warning due to hitting Near once before and Mello had no doubt he would be in some real trouble now, especially with Near scheming as he was.

Mello caught a glimpse of red hair in the crowd as he was being led away; people were murmuring and casting him dirty looks. He didn't care.

He had been shoved none too gently into the back of the squad car and well, the rest had been history, as they say.

A five month long history... in jail.

Whoopee.

.

.

The sunlight made Mello squint until his eyes could focus better; it wasn't as though he hadn't been allowed to see daylight in months, he just didn't have any shades on him.

It was a bit disorienting to be outside after all that time, to see the world without bars. To be free. It hadn't been bad inside but he was used to seeing guards everywhere, being escorted everywhere and being chained and cuffed to things.

The crinkling of a wrapper caught his attention and Mello looked over at the chained fence. He kept his expression impassive as he surveyed the smoker leant against the wire.

Goggles were perched atop flame red hair and brilliant green eyes stared at him calmly. Matt took a moment to look him over before stubbing out the cigarette against his boot.

"I hope you were the groom." Matt gestured to his attire.

Mello rolled his eyes at Matt's comment. Har Har Matty, Har Har.

"Waldo wants his shirt back." Mello replied blandly to the striped attire the redhead wore. Really, the banter was nothing new. Just the situation it was in.

Matt grinned at him and suddenly produced a bar of chocolate, holding it at arms reach for him. Mello snatched it immediately and had half of it down his throat before he noticed Matt was laughing at him.

"God you really are an addict."

Mello punched him in the shoulder, only making Matt laugh harder, and smirked around the chocolate. It was good to be out. Real good.

.

Matt had driven him to get 'some real food' as he called it, meaning Burger King, and they sat in the parking lot with the windows down and the summer breeze whipping through the open car.

"So Near asked me out the other day." Matt told him conversationally, as though he were speaking about sports or the weather, something of utter inconsequence.

Something that wouldn't stop Mello's breath.

_This couldn't be happening_ was all he could think. Five months in jail couldn't have been the catalyst for the worst moment of his life, could it?

It would destroy him if Nate had actually gotten his claws into Matt. It would be worse than death.

"What did you reply?" Mello managed to force between his lips, hoping he sounded normal. As normal as one could when hearing their mortal enemy had asked their best friend out.

"I told him that he could go choke on one of his blocks."

Mello snorted and then laughed. He was so relieved. So incredibly relieved. He should have known that Matt wouldn't go for someone like Near.

The more he thought on it the funnier it seemed and he just couldn't seem to stop laughing.

"All good now?" Matt asked him once he had finally calmed down enough to gulp in large breaths.

"Yeah I'm good." he looked at Matt's wind tousled hair and slightly flushed cheeks. "I'm real good."

.

.

Matt and Near had been hanging out more and more often recently and it had Mello on edge. Matt could do what he wanted, befriend whom he wanted, but when it was someone like Near...

Mello couldn't say anything though without it seeming like it was part of his rivalry and personal hatred for the sheep-like boy. Scrubbing a palm across his face Mello swore. He was loosing Matt.

He was, he could tell.

They didn't hang out as much anymore. Matt didn't drive them to eat crappy take out, or sleep over his place after a movie marathon or pester him to go to the arcade until he finally caved... Matt didn't do much of anything with him anymore.

And it hurt.

Mello didn't care if Matt had suddenly decided he wasn't good enough, because at second he really wasn't, he just didn't want Matt to be with Near. If it were anyone else, anyone who would care for him and love him and-

Wait a minute, Matt wasn't dating Near, was he?

Led settled in Mello's stomach and his heart sank along with it.

He glanced over at the pile of unused games and for once in the longest time, felt utterly hopeless.

.

"Are you dating Near now?"

"What?" Matt had actually looked up from his games, something Mello hadn't gotten him to do in a while. It was nice to see his face, even if the goggles were hiding his eyes.

"Are. You. Dating. Near?" Mello ground out and could actually pinpoint the moment Matt's attitude turned foul.

"What the hell does it matter to you? You have never cared who I've dated before, what difference does it make now?"

"Because it's Near, that's what the difference is!" Mello thought that it should have been obvious, though the entire reason wouldn't be, not to Matt.

"Yes, I'll drop whatever I'm doing just because you don't like it. That's not how the world works Mello; you can't have everything you want just because you want it!" Matt's lips formed a thin line after he'd spoken and Mello swore time stopped as he stared at the tense redhead before him.

Mello paused. He needed to think. He was just irritating the redhead and that's not what he had wanted to do. Matt wasn't going to believe him should he tell him of what Near had said. Mello hung his head. Had he really lost him?

"I know that Matt, I really do. Otherwise things between us would be different, much different Matty." he couldn't look at him, not during this.

"I don't care who you date so long as they actually care about you. Near wont, and doesn't. He's only going to use you and wont stop until there is nothing left of the person I love... I know how it sounds, that I cant let go of my hatred for him to let you do whatever it is with him, but if only for this once trust me."

Mello knew he wasn't making much sense, wasn't getting his point across but it was hard when everything felt like goodbye. He hated the feeling.

Closing his eyes Mello took a deep breath and straightened up. He wouldn't stand there like a kicked puppy. He would leave and hopefully Matt would at least mull over what he had said and-

Matt was grinning.

Why the hell was he grinning?

"Do you even know what you've said?" Matt's smile got wider.

What he had said?

What _had_ he said...Mello went back over the conversation and his eyes widened. He'd accidently confessed.

"Mello, do you really love me?"

"Yes." he whispered. Mello forced himself to keep staring ahead at Matt even as his heart threatened to escape through his mouth.

"Then I guess you really can get everything you want." Matt said softly, hand reaching to touch Mello's face almost hesitantly.

Mello allowed the gentle touch for a few moments before pulling Matt as close as he could and crushing their lips together. Mello swore that he was dreaming because in what reality would Matt actually be in his arms?

But honestly, it was the best kind of dream.

.

Matt eventually told him that he had only started hanging out with Near because the albino wouldn't leave him alone. Matt had hoped that giving in a little would make Near calm down in his advances but it had only gotten worse and it had really been grating on Matt's last nerves.

He hadn't meant to become distant with Mello and he certainly wasn't dating Near.

Mello honestly felt he should thank Near. If it hadn't been for the albino then Mello might never have slipped up and confessed. Near was the absolute worst thing in his life, but because of him he ended up with the best.

Yeah, it sounded sappy even to Mello but what did he care? He got the hot redhead in the end.

Said redhead who's hand had wedged itself into his pants...

-Finish-

**AN**: ... completely inspired by a scene in Oceans Eleven. XD everything else in this madness is mine though.

review?


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